


Your Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor: Your SQUIP

by esperink



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Gen, I Don't Know Where This Is Going, I got this idea at two in the morning, Michael's kind of a defective SQUIP because he acts very human, Not Canon Compliant, but what is my brain late at night if not random, does the character count as Michael or the SQUIP if Michael /is/ the SQUIP, however will I tag this, so it might not even be good
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-03-27 07:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13875669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esperink/pseuds/esperink
Summary: Jeremy Heere just wanted to be liked. So when the opportunity presented itself, he took it. It didn't turn out as he expected.AKA In which instead of the musical SQUIP, Michael is Jer's SQUIP





	1. Chapter 1

Jeremy Heere just wanted to be liked.

Sure, he’d had a few friends in his life, but they were minor. He was always their second option and the friendship never lasted. He was currently going through high school without a friend, and it was hell, especially with people picking on him.

But when Rich Goranski cornered him and told him about this thing called a SQUIP, he was cautious. This was the guy who constantly tormented him, telling him that if he gave him six hundred dollars on Monday, he’d give him a SQUIP, something that would help him with his goal of being liked.

With nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon, Jeremy decided to check out the hookup at the Payless shoe store. The man acted strange, so Jeremy was almost reluctant to hand him any of his bar mitzvah money, but he was feeling a little desperate. He bought some Mountain Dew on the way out of the mall and headed home.

He squinted at the grey oblong pill he held in his hand. Was there really a quantum computer in there? It seemed almost impossible, and he was starting to regret giving four hundred dollars to some weird guy behind the Payless.

He popped the pill into his mouth and downed it with at least half a bottle of Mountain Dew.

And he waited.

Fourteen minutes passed and Jeremy was getting impatient. He’d wasted four hundred dollars on a wintergreen tic tac! He was sure of it! He almost wanted to find Rich and give him a piece of his –

**_“Target goal: inaccessible.”_ **

“OW!” Jeremy cried out, shooting up off the bed.

**_“Calibration in process. Please excuse some mild discomfort.”_ **

“Mild?!” Jeremy demanded of the voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. He let out another cry of pain.

**_“Calibration complete. Access procedure initiated.”_ **

Jeremy sighed in relief when the pain suddenly stopped. He forced himself to stand, somewhat greatful that his dad was taking a nap. He didn’t want him barging in, even if he was worried.

**_“Discomfort level may increase.”_ **

Jeremy fell to the ground, holding onto his head and trying not to scream.

**_“Accessing: neural memory.”_ **

Jeremy let out a whimper.

**_“Accessing: muscle memory.”_ **

Jeremy looked up when he saw feet standing in front of him.

**_“Access procedure: complete. Jeremy Heere…”_ **

The pain stopped. Jeremy sat up, looking up at the figure that stood before him.

**_“Welcome to your Super Quantum Unit Intel Processer.”_ **

A pause.

**_“Your SQUIP.”_ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy meets his SQUIP.

The figure that stood in front of Jeremy… somehow didn’t look out of place in his messy room.

“You look… a lot different than I expected,” Jeremy said, staring at the man – no, it looked too young to be a man – at the boy who he was quite sure was the SQUIP.

It looked his age, almost, maybe two inches taller, wearing a red hoodie, glasses, and a pair of expensive-looking headphones. Its skin tone looked a little darker than his own, and it had styled brown hair. It looked friendly, even. The SQUIP smiled at him.

 ** _“I thought this would be the most beneficial form to take,”_** it said. **_“I do have other modes. You can also set me for: Keanu Reeves, Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson, and,”_** the SQUIP grinned widely, like it found something was hilarious, **_“‘sexy anime female’.”_**

Jeremy blushed awkwardly. “No, this is fine,” he replied. He felt it would be weird to have any of the known actors following him around, even if it wasn’t really them. He didn’t even want to mention the last option, kind of embarrassed.

 ** _“Awesome!”_** the SQUIP said, clasping its hands together, seeming a little too excitable for something that should be a quantum computer. **_“Now, it’s to my understanding you want to be liked. At least a little. And I see that your secondary objective is to win the affections of the female Christine Canigula."_**

“R-right,” Jeremy stammered, sitting on his bed. “Can you really help me?” This was going differently than he had expected. He’d expected some sort of mentor that would immediately tell him how to be ‘cool’ and ‘likable’. But this seemed more like he was having a conversation with a fellow teen.

 ** _“I will do my best.”_** Jeremy’s face fell. **_“Jeremy, I think it’s important to note that even when humans are predictable, we must account for some human error.”_**

“Yeah… I get that,” Jeremy said, standing. He reached his hand out in curiosity, and the SQUIP’s form glitched when his hand went through it. The SQUIP pursed its lips in disapproval, and Jeremy jumped suddenly.

“Ow!” He frowned, registering the small shock. It shouldn’t have even hurt as much as it should. But he tended to be sensitive to touch.

 ** _“I believe you were getting up to make some dinner?”_** the SQUIP said almost innocently.

“Right,” Jeremy muttered, leaving his room to head to the kitchen. He heard movement in his dad’s room, figuring that he was waking up. He sighed at the thought of his dad. He wasn’t the same since Jeremy’s mom had left. He couldn’t even seem to put pants on.

The SQUIP stood next to him, scanning the living room and the kitchen. Jeremy felt like he should make conversation.

“So uh,” Jeremy started, “how long should it take to make people… like… me?” He winced inwardly about how silly and awkward his question sounded.

 ** _“It can take anywhere from a week to a month and a half,”_** the SQUIP informed him, checking out the video game and dvd cases in the shelves in the living room. **_“Worst case is a few months, best case is… maybe three to four days, but in general – oh, Apocalypse of the Damned!”_**

Jeremy looked up from the pasta that was boiling on the stove. The SQUIP seemed to have found his older video games. It was strange still, to see excitement on its face, and it cutting itself off.

“Yeah… I’m kind of stuck on level nine, actually,” Jeremy said, stirring the pasta with a wooden spoon. “Wait, actually, do you think you could help me with that too? I mean, I know that my main goal is to be liked, but –”

 ** _“That shouldn’t be a problem,”_** the SQUIP replied. **_“In fact, I can do something that will make your gameplay even more interesting.”_**

“Really? What?”

**_“It’ll be almost like you’re there, in the game.”_ **

Jeremy opened his mouth to say something, but his dad suddenly walked in, still wearing the robe and no pants. “Hey, son,” Mr. Heere said, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What’re you making?”

“Uh, pasta,” Jeremy replied in a mutter, checking to make sure he had enough if his dad decided to eat too. They rarely happened to eat at the same time, though.

“Sounds delicious,” Mr. Heere replied, grabbing the newspaper and leaning back onto the counter to read it.

Jeremy looked over to find the SQUIP standing right next to him, and nearly jolted in surprise. “Can he see you?” he asked it.

 ** _“I exist only in your mind,”_** the SQUIP informed him. **_“Speaking out loud to me will only show people that you’re having a conversation with yourself, which I wouldn’t recommend.”_** The SQUIP hummed. **_“Don’t do that. People’ll think it’s weird. Just think at me, like you’re telepathic.”_**

“Like in X-men?” Jeremy asked, and he blushed when he realized he was still talking out loud. He had accidentally raised his voice, and now his dad was looking at him over his newspaper in concern.

The SQUIP smiled tightly. **_“Like in X-men,”_** it agreed.

Jeremy served himself a bowl of pasta as soon as it finished. He stood and started to head to his room when the SQUIP gave him a look.

 ** _“Don’t you think you should try to make your relationship with your father a little better_**?” it asked.

‘Why should I?’ Jeremy asked, making sure he said it in his head instead of out loud this time.

It sighed but didn’t protest again as Jeremy made his way to his bedroom to eat. Jeremy largely ignored the SQUIP as he ate and scrolled through websites on his phone. After a while he started on his homework. It was mostly math, which he frowned at. He sat up in thought. “Hey, how are you with math homework?” he asked.

**_“I’m a supercomputer, Jeremy. I’m made of math.”_ **

 

* * *

 

“Yo, tall-ass,” Rich said when they saw each other Monday morning. “Where’s my money?”

“Uhh,” Jeremy stuttered, frozen.

 ** _“I got this,”_** his SQUIP promised, standing next to him. **_“Up up down down left right A.”_**

Rich jolted, and his eyes widened as he excitedly said, “You got one!”

“Yeah,” Jeremy stammered. “I – I meant to go through you but – please don’t hit me.” Jeremy braced for it.

“Jeremy, this is awesome!” Rich exclaimed, giving the other a firm pat on the shoulder. “I mean.. I could have used the money… things are rough at home, if you catch my drift…”

Jeremy glanced at the SQUIP to try to figure out what to say.

It seemed to be communicating with Rich’s SQUIP silently for a moment before telling Jeremy, **_“He’s having a bit of trouble at home. His dad… drinks. You could pretend you relate.”_**

“Yeah…. My dad… drinks too?” Jeremy offered, and Rich smiled in what Jeremy could perceive in relief.

“Fucking dads, right?” Rich said. “He usually passes out by nine. You should come over and play Xbox some time! Y’know, with SQUIPs… the only controller you need is your mind.”

Jeremy didn’t have time to reply before Rich moved on. He glanced at his SQUIP again. ‘What was that?’ he asked.

 ** _“I synced with his SQUIP,”_** it explained. **_“So now his desires are compatible with yours.”_**

‘And that… makes him act like we’re friends?’

 ** _“What is friendship but a bond between two people?”_** The SQUIP raised an eyebrow.

‘I… I guess,’ Jeremy muttered. ‘Wait so is that what you meant when you said you could do something to make me playing my games more interesting? Using my mind as a controller?’

The SQUIP smiled. **_“Mmhm,”_** it said. **_“C’mon, you’re going to be late for class.”_** They started walking. Jeremy was silent, thinking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy tries to play video games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi it's five in the morning and this is probably crap but I think I have something similar to a partial plot now.

The SQUIP was semi-silent during the day. It was taking in information, it had informed Jeremy. Jeremy frowned slightly. The SQUIP hadn’t done much yet. And he was displeased and impatient. He wondered if it was normal or maybe if something was wrong with his SQUIP. He considered asking Rich, but by the time he considered that, he was already home.

Jeremy was lying in bed, on his back and half hanging off, but had yet to fix his position mostly due to boredom. “Hey?” he called out, curious.

The SQUIP materialized right next to Jeremy, startling him enough to fall off with a squawk. It blinked at him for a few moments before it said, **_“Hello Jeremy.”_**

Jeremy sat up slowly. “Can I try that video game thing?”

It blinked at Jeremy slowly again, waiting for him to elaborate.

“You said you could make it like I’m in the game,” Jeremy said. “Can we try that? It sounds… kind of cool, actually.”

**_“Oh, yes. You’ll need to pick a game, though. I can’t just magically transport you into a game without it being in use.”_ **

“Well, I know that,” Jeremy mumbled, still feeling weird about how casual the SQUIP seemed to be. If it was aware of his thoughts, it didn’t show it. Jeremy stood and went to the living room to fetch a game. He hesitated before pulling out the case for Apocalypse of the Damned. It had been a few months since he’d played it. He remembered getting so irritated about being stuck on level nine.

Jeremy walked back into his room, and he hooked up his console before putting in the disk and turning it on. He turned to the SQUIP, which had once again materialized right next to him.

“Can you stop that?” Jeremy muttered.

 ** _“Very well,”_** the SQUIP replied. **_“Have you picked a game?”_**

Jeremy showed it the cover of the game, and he couldn’t help but smile slightly at how pleased it seemed with his choice. “Wait, is it going to hurt?” Jeremy realized.

 ** _“Only if you get hit or die in the game.”_** It tilted its head at Jeremy’s wide-eyed concern. **_“I can disable those features, if you wish.”_**

“Uh… I’ll take my chances,” Jeremy decided in a split-second decision. “Do I just… close my eyes?” The SQUIP nodded. So he did. When he opened them again, he was surprised to find himself in what looked like a deserted building. A chill ran down his spine as he heard shuffling.

“This is so weird,” he mumbled when he realized he had the gun he often picked while playing the game. He started walking. “Can you – can you be here with me?” He cringed at how awkward that sounded, but he was relieved when the SQUIP appeared next to him.

 ** _“Shall we?”_** it said, gesturing, and they started walking.

“Uh, hey,” Jeremy started after a bit of silence. “Can I… call you something else?”

The SQUIP looked at him. **_“Can you elaborate?”_** it countered.

“Like… you look like you could be my age,” Jeremy continued. “It’s weird to call you like… an object or an ‘it’.”

The SQUIP seemed to think, which was strange because it was simply a supercomputer. **_“I do not personally have a preference and do not technically have a gender,”_** it said, **_“but you are free to refer to me with whatever pronouns you wish.”_**

“Um… okay,” Jeremy said, nodding. “He/him for you, then.” He yelped when a zombie lunged at him, barely moving out of the way in time. “Holy shit…” He shot at the zombie, cheering quietly when it fell to the ground, but also making a face at how it looked. It was far too realistic despite being in the game, in his opinion. “You gonna help?” he asked the SQUIP.

The SQUIP hummed. **_“It would be unfair for me to play since I am, quite literally, a computer.”_**

“Oh, right…” He was distracted by another thought when another zombie lunged at him and left a long scratch on his arm. “Ow!” The scratch looked and felt very real. He suddenly felt lightheaded, but he wasn’t sure if it was because it looked very real or the scratch’s effect itself. His mind started to race.

 ** _“Jeremy, breathe with me,”_** the SQUIP said after decapitating the zombie that had scratched Jeremy.

Jeremy looked at the SQUIP, face pale.

 ** _“Breathe,”_** the SQUIP repeated, and Jeremy tried to match his breathing pattern. He put a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder – it felt real, and even though it was all in his head, it was comforting.

Jeremy closed his eyes tightly, still trying to regulate his breathing and listening to the SQUIP count. When he finally opened his eyes minutes later, he was back in his room. “But—” he started.

 ** _“That was not a good idea,”_** the SQUIP said, cutting him off. He frowned at his user, shaking his head slightly.

“I didn’t – I didn’t know it was going to be like that,” Jeremy said defensively.

 ** _“This is a game about zombies,”_** the SQUIP replied, rubbing his face. Jeremy took note of the SQUIP’s glasses and how they moved when his hand bumped them. **_“One would, I assume, expect something like that.”_**

“I just… thought it’d be cooler,” Jeremy mumbled, looking down.

**_“I’m sure it would be, if you were better at the game.”_ **

Jeremy frowned up at him. “Are you insulting my video game skills?”

**_“’Skills’ would be a generous term.”_ **

“You’re a computer, you don’t get an opinion,” Jeremy decided, feeling thoroughly insulted. Video games were the one thing he thought he was decent at.

 ** _“I wouldn’t call it an opinion,”_** the SQUIP replied, and Jeremy threw his hands in the air.

“Whatever, you’re supposed to be helping me be cool.”

**_“You wanted to play video games.”_ **

Jeremy scowled at his logic. “Well, now that I’m done playing video games, help me.”

The SQUIP sighed. **_“Very well,”_** he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me on tumblr: esperinkdraws


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy and Rich have a small discussion about his SQUIP.

**_“Perhaps you should sign up for the play,”_** the SQUIP said to Jeremy during lunch the next day. The SQUIP was ‘sitting’ in the empty chair across from Jeremy, head resting on his hands, elbows propped up on the table.

‘No way,’ Jeremy replied. ‘Everybody knows that the after-school plays are lame.’ He frowned and poked at his cafeteria food, like he was mad at it for making plays seem that way.

**_“Christine Canigula has signed up.”_ **

Jeremy perked up. ‘She has?’ Then he collected himself. ‘Well, they already started rehearsals and auditions, haven’t they?’

 ** _“I’m not sure how you’re expecting me to help if you’re not even going to try.”_** The SQUIP frowned.

Jeremy scowled slightly. ‘Fine. I’ll sign up at the end of lunch.’

The SQUIP nodded, seeming satisfied with Jeremy’s reply.

“Hey, tall-ass!” Rich called from across the cafeteria.

Jeremy looked up, tensing in fear before he remembered that he and Rich were now at least acquaintances now that he had a SQUIP. Rich waved the taller boy over, so Jeremy picked his tray up and sat down next to Rich.

Rich eyed him almost warily before starting a conversation with him, including him with the group. The girls watched Jeremy carefully; Chloe was frowning but Brooke seemed friendly, at least.

“You haven’t really changed,” Rich said after lunch, like it was expected for Jeremy to change how he was immediately.

Jeremy furrowed his brow. “Well, the SQUIP’s been gathering information, I think,” he said.

“That’s not how mine was,” Rich said with a shrug. “It says that your reaction isn’t exactly… normal.” Rich studied Jeremy carefully.

“What does yours act like?” Jeremy asked, and Rich expression immediately became guarded. Jeremy wondered if he should have asked that.

Finally, Rich shrugged. “It tells me what to do. And wear. And occasionally what to say. It’s very… author – authorita –” Rich winced slightly, like he suddenly felt a little shock for not getting the word right. “Authoritative,” he finally said.

“Mine… doesn’t do that,” Jeremy said, confused. “Are they all supposed to act like that?”

“From my understanding, yeah,” Rich replied, nodding slightly. He didn’t seem as excited to discuss SQUIPs as he had in the bathroom after school on Friday. He furrowed his brow. “Do you think SQUIPs can be defective?” Then he jumped. “Ow – sorry.” His apology seemed to be directed to something next to him – his SQUIP, Jeremy assumed.

When Rich made a curious noise when they stopped by the after-school play sign-up sheet, Jeremy explained, “My SQUIP told me I should sign up. He seemed pretty confident about it.” That was a lie. Nothing about his SQUIP seemed confident. He started to wonder about Rich’s question from moments before – could his SQUIP be defective?

“Me and the others didn’t even sign up,” Rich commented. “We just went. Mr. Reyes didn’t really seem to mind.”

“Oh.” Jeremy suddenly felt very silly for signing up now. He dropped the pen that had been hanging next to the sheet, but he had already signed his name.

The two boys separated when they exited the cafeteria – Rich went to whatever class he had next, and Jeremy made his way to his science class. He hoped that there was a substitute again – science wasn’t his strong point.

The SQUIP reappeared and dropped himself into the empty seat next to Jeremy. **_“Do you think I’m defective?”_** he asked curiously, clearly having heard the conversation Jeremy had with Rich despite not being visible.

Jeremy shrugged slightly, before Jake Dillinger sat in the seat the SQUIP was occupying.

 ** _“Rude,”_** the SQUIP said, before reappearing on the other side of Jeremy. Jeremy fought a smile.

Jake studied Jeremy for a moment. Jeremy successfully tried his best not to squirm. “I’m Jake,” Jake finally said, offering a hand to shake.

“J – Jeremy,” Jeremy replied, shaking Jake’s hand. Jake’s grip was firm.

Jake nodded. “You’re a friend of Rich?” he asked.

Jeremy nodded back. “Er – yeah,” he said, not sure what else to say. The SQUIP wasn’t exactly being helpful right now.

“Cool,” Jake said, nodding. The conversation was over and the science teacher started speaking.

 

* * *

 

“What was – what was that?” Jeremy demanded when he stopped by the boys’ restroom after class, after making sure nobody was there. His SQUIP blinked at him curiously, so he continued. “Not telling me what to say to Jake?”

 ** _“The conversation didn’t continue,”_** the SQUIP said.

“Yeah, because you didn’t tell me what to say.”

The SQUIP only frowned. Jeremy was starting to get frustrated. It had already been – he counted – four days since he’d gotten it, and it seemed to have hardly done a thing.

“You don’t even – you don’t even act like a computer!” Jeremy brought up, thinking about his and Rich’s discussion after lunch.

 ** _“Isn’t that better though? Doesn’t it enhance your experience?”_** The SQUIP sounded hopeful.

“No,” Jeremy snapped. “I got you for a reason. What point is there if you’re not helping me reach my goal? Why would I spend 400 dollars on you if I knew you were going to be like this?”

Jeremy instantly regretted his outburst when the SQUIP’s face adopted a very hurt expression. It’s a computer, he tried reminding himself. It doesn’t have feelings, or it shouldn’t.

“Just… leave me alone for a bit,” Jeremy said.

 ** _“As you wish,”_** the SQUIP said with a nod before disappearing.

It was silent for a moment before Jeremy muttered, “Did he just quote fucking… Princess Bride at me?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy lies to his dad and fabricates a whole person.

The SQUIP was silent during the rest of the day. Jeremy got restless when he sat in a seat after school. Rich had already talked to Mr. Reyes and got Jeremy a part. Christine greeted Jeremy politely, asking if he’d been in a play before. He shook his head, so Christine launched into a monologue of how much she loved play rehearsal before Mr. Reyes told everyone to settle down.

Jeremy kept clicking his pen – he could tell it was annoying the students around him but he couldn’t make himself stop.

Until he felt a shock up his spine which caused him to drop the pen. He didn’t get up to retrieve it as it rolled down the steps nearby.

He scowled, and looked to the right of him. His SQUIP was standing next to him. He was quieter than usual – the SQUIP typically said something before doing anything else, really.

Brushing off the shock, Jeremy asked, ‘Where have you been?’

 ** _“You wanted to be left alone,”_** his SQUIP said, seeming confused at Jeremy’s question.

Jeremy shrugged like he was saying ‘So?’

 ** _“I’ve been communicating with Rich’s SQUIP as well_** ,” the SQUIP continued. **_“We have… different ways of seeing things, I suppose.”_**

‘You guys are computers,’ Jeremy pointed out. He felt a little confused about the whole idea – did computers have their own thoughts? His SQUIP minutely nodded at what he pointed out but said nothing else. He gave him suggestions on what to say when conversing with Christine or another student, which is more than he’d done in the four days Jeremy had had his SQUIP.

Jeremy’s SQUIP was acting different, more restrained, and it bothered Jeremy a little for an unknown reason. At first Jeremy couldn’t figure out what was different or wrong but then he realized the SQUIP wasn’t chattering on about nothing like he usually did.

He took the ride Brooke offered him, at his SQUIP’s suggestion.

“It’s probably best to get on her good side,” his SQUIP told him while they sat at the Pinkberry’s near the school. “She seems to, well, like you.”

‘Like me?’ Jeremy asked. ‘Like, like like?’

The SQUIP’s usual sarcasm slipped through as he rolled his eyes before saying, **_“Yes. You guys aren’t in elementary school.”_** At Jeremy’s confused silence, he clarified. **_“‘Like like’?”_** He snickered.

Jeremy blushed and shrugged, turning his attention to Brooke, who was smiling at him, trying to talk to him. He felt a little better, though, to see the SQUIP respond more like himself.

The SQUIP was still quiet when Jeremy got home. Jeremy tried to think of something to say – lack of the SQUIP’s usual chatter was still bothering him. ‘I want to try to play Apocalypse of the Damned again,’ he finally said. ‘But uh… it’s probably best to play it normally.’

The SQUIP nodded in agreement.

‘Think you can give me some tips?’

The SQUIP finally smiled. **_“Sure,”_** he said, and he waited as Jeremy retrieved the game case. He started to chatter as Jeremy got the game ready. **_“A sequel is coming out next year,”_** he added.

“What, really?” Jeremy said, accidentally out loud in his excitement. He glanced towards his bedroom door, hoping his dad didn’t hear him talking to no one. The SQUIP nodded, before the game started up, and then he just gave Jeremy tips on how to beat level nine.

Jeremy’s dad ordered pizza, like usual, and he and Jeremy sat in the living room to watch a movie. It was nearing the end when Jeremy’s dad spoke. “Hey, I hear that they’re going to make a sequel for that video game you like,” he said, clearly trying to connect with his son.

“Oh yeah,” Jeremy said. “Yeah, I know.”

“Really? How?”

Jeremy panicked for a moment before saying, “Uh, a friend told me.”

“Really?” Jeremy’s dad asked, picking up the paper plates that once held pizza. He seemed surprised. Jeremy remembered complaining before that he’d had no friends. “What’s your friend’s name?”

“Uh,” Jeremy said, freezing for a moment and glancing around. His SQUIP didn’t seem keen on helping him at the current moment – probably because he was lying. The rolling credits on the screen caught his eye. “Michael,” he blurted, seeing the name pass by. “His name is Michael. He’s new,” he added, trying to explain why he had never spoken of a Michael before.

“You should invite Michael over some time,” Jeremy’s dad said. “It’s nice to see you making friends.”

Jeremy nodded slightly, with no intention of doing what his dad suggested, mostly because Michael – well, Michael didn’t even exist. He hoped his dad wouldn’t ask any more questions.

No go.

“Did you meet him at school?”

“Uh – yeah – he’s in my –” Jeremy shot the SQUIP a glance that conveyed ‘help me’. “He’s in my English class,” he finally decided.

Jeremy’s dad sat back down in his chair, after throwing away the rest of the trash. “So, tell me about him.”

“Dad I’m – I’m not going to know everything about my new friend,” Jeremy tried to argue. At his dad’s slight frown, he sighed and tried to come up with something on the spot. “Michael likes video games,” he eventually said. “That’s – that’s why he was able to let me know about the sequel to the game I like. He… I think he really likes that game.” Jeremy remembered his SQUIP’s excitement upon finding that Jeremy had Apocalypse of the Damned – it was still a little strange to think about it.

“Does he play any other games?”

“Not that I know of,” Jeremy replied.

 ** _“You need to be a better liar,”_** the SQUIP mused.

‘Shut up,’ Jeremy told him, before glancing back at his dad. “He can be a decent person, I think,” Jeremy added as an afterthought.

“Well, I’m glad you’re making friends,” Jeremy’s dad replied, and Jeremy caught the unspoken ‘finally’. “Is Michael who you talk to when I hear you talking in your room?”

“Uh – yeah,” Jeremy lied. “We talk on the phone sometimes. Anyway I uh – I gotta go do my homework so…” He gestured, and his dad nodded, so Jeremy quickly went to his room.

 ** _“You’re really not good at lying,”_** the SQUIP said.

“No shit,” Jeremy muttered. “You weren’t exactly helpful.”

‘Michael’ became Jeremy’s excuse for a lot of things. Why didn’t he come home on time? Oh, he was at ‘Michael’s’, working on a project. Where did he get that new shirt? Oh, he borrowed it from ‘Michael’.

His SQUIP talked a lot with Rich’s SQUIP, he was told. He always seemed a little disgruntled whenever he did, though. But usually after talking with Rich’s SQUIP, Jeremy’s own SQUIP seemed to be giving better advice, despite being unusually quiet. Sometimes he told him what to wear, or what to say, and it would seem like good advice, so he’d listen. He talked with Brooke sometimes, per his SQUIP’s request, and got closer with her. Jeremy didn’t see why, but he decided to just hope for the best.

And sometimes the SQUIP had a lot to say at night, so Jeremy would occasionally let him chatter on, letting the SQUIP’s voice lull him to sleep. Though, sometimes, it would just irritate him.

The SQUIP was chattering on again – about what, Jeremy couldn’t be bothered to focus on. It was annoying, though, and he was the type of tired that wanted quiet at the time, so he muttered, before burying his head into his pillow, “Michael, shut up.”

The SQUIP stopped speaking, and Jeremy didn’t realize he called him that until he woke up in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know the drill
> 
> come yell at me on tumblr: esperinkdraws
> 
> comment, kudos, all that stuff.
> 
> (but really, comments are nice.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy strongly considers something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof hi i promised myself that when I caught up to this amount of chapters for my GSA fics I'd post my next chapter here, so here.

The SQUIP didn’t mention it. At no time did he say, “Uh, hey, you called me Michael last night”. And since he didn’t say anything, it took Jeremy a few hours to realize it.

He was sitting in his first period Spanish class when he sat up straight with an “Oh”.

He accidentally said that out loud, so he got a few glances his way, along with his Spanish teacher. He quickly apologized and looked back down at his assignment.

He started doodling on his paper before glancing around. Almost like he’d been summoned, the SQUIP appeared in the empty seat next to him, making a peace sign and a nod like he was saying ‘’Sup.’

‘I called you Michael last night,’ Jeremy said.

 ** _“You did,”_** the SQUIP confirmed with a nod.

‘Am I… am I allowed to do that?’ Jeremy furrowed his brow in thought, playing with his mechanical pencil.

 ** _“Well, no one’s stopping you,”_** the SQUIP replied with a small hum. **_“I think it’s nice.”_**

‘Michael it is, then,’ Jeremy said, quietly even in his own thoughts, trying to get used to the idea of calling his SQUIP an actual, human name.

Michael beamed.

 

* * *

 

 

According to Rich, that wasn’t normal either.

Rich was asking Jeremy why he was speaking to Brooke a lot more than usual. Jeremy wasn’t exactly sure why he was asking, but he explained that his SQUIP had told him to. “Well, Michael—” Jeremy had started, but Rich interrupted him.

“Michael?” Rich questioned, looking slightly confused.

Jeremy shut his mouth for a moment. “Um, my SQUIP,” he explained, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. He wondered for a moment if it was a bad thing to call Michael an actual name.

“You named it?” Rich furrowed his brow, clearly baffled by Jeremy’s choice.

Jeremy bit his lip. “… should I not have?” he asked. “He said it was okay…”

Rich tilted his head slightly, like he was listening to someone – his own SQUIP, most likely. He seemed a little troubled about something, and Jeremy felt like it had to do with Michael. He suddenly realized how weird it was to name a tiny supercomputer that resided in your head.

“My SQUIP has a suggestion,” Rich finally said slowly and almost uncertainly. “And I guess how open you are to it depends on how useful yours is.” Jeremy slowly nodded. “We _could_ deactivate your SQUIP and try to get like… a refund.” He didn’t specify if you could actually get one.

Jeremy furrowed his brow. “You can deactivate them?”

“Yeah,” Rich replied, nodding. “That’s what it’s telling me. So I guess the million-dollar question is: are you satisfied with your SQUIP’s job?”

 

* * *

 

Michael was quiet for the rest of the day. His silence and absence made Jeremy feel guilty. Surely he had heard his and Rich’s conversation.

Jeremy mulled over Rich’s question all day. He couldn’t exactly say he was satisfied with his SQUIP’s job. He’d gotten him so that he’d make friends… He couldn’t say he’d made a close friend yet. He’d made acquaintances with those in Rich’s group, but nobody he would call up and talk to in his free time.

He walked home alone that afternoon. He never walked home with anybody in Rich’s group of friends. And usually he’d have Michael to chat with, and they’d chat about everything and nothing.

But… Michael couldn’t be his friend. He – it was just a tiny supercomputer implanted in his brain. For all he knew it was manipulating him.

He groaned and let himself drop onto the grass at the park he used to go to when he was a kid. This was too difficult, and he was in too low of a mood to think too hard about it. He laid on the grass a bit, staring at the sky.

Life was a little easier before he had heard of SQUIPs.

He lay in the grass for an hour or so, using his arm to block out the sun from his eyes. It probably wasn’t a good idea, seeing as how pale he was, but obviously he wasn’t really thinking.

After a bit he got up and continued his walk home.

“You seem troubled, son,” Jeremy’s dad said that night. Michael still hadn’t made an appearance. “Everything okay?”

Jeremy hesitated. “I think… I made Michael mad,” he said.

“How did that happen?” Jeremy’s dad took a seat on the couch, while Jeremy continued to hang upside down from the recliner.

Jeremy tried to think of an answer that sounded human enough. “He overheard me talking with somebody else… about…” He furrowed his brow, thinking. “Well, he heard me and another person talking, and the other person suggested that… I ditch Michael.”

“Why did that make Michael mad at you?”

“I… considered it,” Jeremy admitted.

“Maybe you should apologize, then.”

“I don’t think he wants to talk to me.”

“Worth a shot,” Jeremy’s dad replied, standing up to head to the hallway. “Michael’s your friend, isn’t he?”

Jeremy didn’t answer, and his dad didn’t demand an answer. Jeremy watched as his dad left the room. He sighed and stayed hanging off the recliner for a little longer before heading to his room. He looked around. “Michael?” he called out cautiously and softly.

Michael appeared in front of Jeremy, hands behind his back. If Jeremy looked closely he could see through the hologram that was his SQUIP. One of Michael’s hands were holding onto his wrist tightly. **_“Jeremy,”_** he greeted evenly.

Jeremy bit his lip, having trouble finding his words. Michael should already know he felt sorry, right?

**_“I’d prefer to hear it myself.”_ **

“I’m… I’m sorry, Michael,” Jeremy said, finally. Michael’s stance relaxed slightly. “But you have to understand,” Jeremy continued. The relaxed stance was gone again. “I – I got you for a reason. I wanted to be liked and have friends and get Christine… you haven’t provided that for me.” Jeremy started to wring his hands.

 ** _“So, what, you’re just going to get rid of me?”_** Michael lifted his head and jutted out his chin, defiantly. But his jaw was trembling and there was something in his eyes despite being nearly translucent.

“You’re scared,” Jeremy said softly when he realized.

 ** _“Computers do not have feelings or emotions,”_** Michael only replied, repeating Jeremy’s own thoughts back to him.

Jeremy frowned. “You’re not making this any easier.” Michael looked away. Jeremy sighed. “Is there a way to temporarily shut you down while I think?”

_**“Yes.”** _

“Can you do that?”

Michael frowned, but he nodded and disappeared. Jeremy waited, like he expected him to reappear any moment. But he didn’t, so Jeremy took that as good enough.

 

* * *

 

Dustin Kropp was to merchandise as Jenna Rolan was to gossip. If there was something you needed to buy, Dustin usually knew where you could get it.

And usually, that meant weed or alcohol, but Jeremy found him the next morning behind the school, leaning against the wall, for something else.

“Mountain Dew Red?” Dustin confirmed curiously, scratching his chin. “You know that stuff got discontinued in the nineties, right? You sure you’re not looking for Code Red?”

“I know exactly what I’m looking for,” Jeremy replied. “Do you know where I can get it or not?”

Dustin shrugged and opened his phone, typing out a few things. “I’ll let you know by lunch.”

Jeremy had kept Michael off for most of the day, since he had momentarily shut him off the previous night. He felt a little guilty. But he might as well try getting a refund if he wasn’t going to accomplish what he bought him for, right?

How would getting a refund even work?

Dustin approached him at lunch and Jeremy excused himself from Rich’s group momentarily.

“Well?” Jeremy said impatiently.

“Go to the back of Spencer’s Gifts today or tomorrow. Ask for Candy and they should have it for you. They only have a case and it’s like… ten bucks or something,” Dustin said.

“I don’t need a whole case. I just need a bottle.”

Dustin shrugged again. “They don’t want to sell the bottles individually. Guess they just want to get rid of it all.”

Jeremy sighed. He went back to the table after mumbling a thanks to Dustin.

He dropped by Spencer’s Gifts after school and asked for Candy, like Dustin had said. At first there had been a small misunderstanding (“No, I mean, the person I’m supposed to meet is called Candy.”) but he eventually got the case of Mountain Dew Red home. He still had money left over from buying the SQUIP, since it had been 400 instead of 600 dollars like Rich had said.

He sat on his bed and stared at the soda for a bit. He wasn’t so sure anymore. But there was no point in keeping Michael around if he wasn’t going to help, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again I only have like, a vague idea of where this is going.
> 
> anyway
> 
> come yell at me on tumblr: esperinkdraws


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeremy goes to Jake's Halloween party and helps Rich.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stuff is happening!!

By the next morning Michael was reactivated, and the case of Mountain Dew Red was shoved under the bed.

The night before Jeremy had turned Michael back on without thinking – maybe it was to talk or say goodbye or something, but he had opened the bottle of red soda and had just brought it up to his lips when –

**_“I wouldn’t do that, Jer.”_ **

Jeremy was so surprised by the nickname that he choked on his own spit and dropped the bottle. He jumped back in surprise when the red drink dropped into his lap, probably staining his clothes. He looked up at Michael, ready to say something, but…

Michael looked panicked, desperate. **_“I’ll uh – I’ll help you figure out what’s wrong with me!”_** he offered, trying to get Jeremy to not drink the soda.

Jeremy, however, was still too caught up on the nickname, so he stared at the SQUIP for a few moments before speaking. And still he hesitated, not sure to bring it up, but in the end, he decided not to. “How?” he asked instead, picking up the bottle which had fallen on the floor. He looked around his room for a towel and grabbed the one hanging off his desk chair.

 ** _“Well, my parts were made in Japan, but I was actually assembled in the US,”_** Michael hurried to explain. **_“We could… go find the assembly plant?”_** Jeremy looked dubious. **_“Okay, we can search the net for an explanation? I may not know how to make you cool but I am still a computer connected to the web!”_** Michael was grasping at straws.

Jeremy sighed and capped the bottle, putting it back in the case, and then cleaned up the mess he’d accidentally made. Relief took over Michael’s face and Jeremy tried to not feel guilty.

Rich invited Jeremy to Jake’s Halloween party. Jeremy considered not going, but Michael told him that Christine would be there, still trying to help.

Rich and Jeremy also discussed the SQUIP dilemma, which ended with Rich offering to help after Halloween, not knowing that Jeremy had already tried getting rid of Michael.

The Halloween party was not too long after that. Jeremy had arrived a little late, but he’d been able to catch up to Christine and talk to her a bit, using topics that Michael had suggested.

He heard Rich shout for Mountain Dew Red, like he’d already been asking around before Jeremy arrived. When nobody replied, Rich made a sound of desperation and ran upstairs, repeating “warning” once or twice. Jeremy fidgeted, not sure if he should have kept quiet.

 ** _“Jeremy, you have to go upstairs right now,”_** Michael said, suddenly appearing at his side during a lull of Jeremy’s and Christine’s conversation. He looked a bit worried.

‘What?’

**_“You have to go find Rich.”_ **

‘Why?’

**_“I think he’s going to be in trouble very soon.”_ **

Jeremy stood, apologizing to Christine for cutting their conversation short, before looking at the stairs. ‘How do you know?’

**_“I see lots of… bad possibilities.”_ **

Jeremy hurried upstairs, away from the party. It was quieter up there. He looked around for Rich. He heard him mumbling to himself. Jeremy found him with a gasoline can and a lighter.

“Rich,” Jeremy said quickly.

Rich looked up. Jeremy hadn’t realized how off Rich had seemed the past few days.

“Don’t do this,” Jeremy continued.

“I can’t – I can’t take it anymore,” Rich replied, looking back down.

“You’re going to end up hurt!”

“That’s the plan!”

Jeremy didn’t know what to do. He’d never seen him like this. Rich always seemed so in control of himself.

**_“Approach him slowly.”_ **

Jeremy slowly started to walk towards Rich. Rich looked back up at him, watching him warily. “Don’t,” Rich said, his voice breaking.

 ** _“You can help him,”_** Michael said. **_“You have Mountain Dew Red.”_**

“Rich, I can help you,” Jeremy started.

“Nobody can,” Rich said quickly, shaking his head. “Just go downstairs and get everyone out. Please.”

“Look, you need Mountain Dew Red, right?” Rich looked up again, looking _almost_ hopeful. “I have some at home. Just…”

 ** _“Get the lighter from him. He’s impulsive right now and we don’t know for sure if he’ll stop just because you have Mountain Dew Red.”_** Jeremy started to reach for the lighter. **_“Don’t just take it. He might freak out. Ask him.”_**

“Can you give me the lighter, Rich?” Jeremy said softly.

Rich hesitated, looking a little lost for a moment, before placing the lighter in Jeremy’s hand.

‘How do you know what to say in this situation and not what to say to make me cool?’ Jeremy asked Michael, pocketing the item.

 ** _“I don’t know,”_** Michael admitted, before returning to the task at hand. **_“We can give Rich the Mountain Dew Red today. He just needs to go home with you. You have to convince him.”_** For some reason, he looked hesitant.

‘What?’

**_“Since I synced with his SQUIP… there is a possibility deactivating his would deactivate me.”_ **

‘And you’re going to let it happen?’

**_“If it means making sure Rich is okay, yeah.”_ **

Jeremy stared at his SQUIP for about a half a minute. If Michael had been a normal SQUIP, would he have still done this, still offered to sacrifice himself to make sure Rich was okay, something that seemed very human? Or would it have not bothered with Rich and sent Jeremy home, focused on Jeremy’s goal and only that?

Jeremy shook his head to get back to the present. He looked back at Rich.

“You still have yours,” Rich said in realization.

 ** _“Don’t disagree.”_** Michael tilted his head like he was thinking real hard. **_“Lying will make it harder for him to trust you. Just tell him the truth.”_**

Jeremy nodded slowly. “I do still have mine,” Jeremy said slowly.

“What is it telling you?”

“He’s… helping me with you.” Jeremy tried to be honest like Michael had told him. “He doesn’t… he doesn’t want you hurt.”

“He doesn’t?” Jeremy hadn’t noticed Rich’s lisp before. It must have become more apparent with drinking.

“He doesn’t. He wants you to be okay, actually.”

Rich studied Jeremy’s face, looking for any trace of a lie. He slowly set down the gasoline can.

Jeremy nearly sighed in relief. “Come with me.”

Rich took a hesitant step forward, and then another. He let Jeremy lead him downstairs.

“Is yours off?” Jeremy asked.

Rich nodded. “I had a little to drink.”

 ** _“That’s probably why he ran upstairs to set a fire,”_** Michael mused.

Rich and Jeremy were able to leave the party without any more trouble. Rich sat on Jeremy’s bed and was handed a bottle of the Mountain Dew Red. Rich hesitated.

“What is it?”

“It’s… it’s been in my head for two years,” Rich said, shaking his head. “I want it gone but I don’t.”

 ** _“It’ll take a while to get used to but it’s probably for the best,”_** Michael offered.

“It’s going to take a while to get used to, but it’s probably better to not have a supercomputer in your brain that makes you like that,” Jeremy said. He grimaced when he didn’t quite get the words out the way he wanted to.

“I get it,” Rich mumbled. “Here… here goes.”

He took a deep breath before downing most of the bottle.

Jeremy held his breath, half-worried that Michael would be deactivated, even if he had seriously considered deactivating him just a few days prior.

Rich held his head, clearly in pain. He made a soft sound, closing his eyes tightly. A few moments passed and he seemed a little better, though he was still breathing hard.

Michael was still by Jeremy’s side.

“Is it gone?” Jeremy asked.

“We’ll find out eventually,” Rich replied, referring to the alcohol wearing off later.

**_“Ask your dad if he can stay the night. I don’t think he would want to go home right now.”_ **

“Do you want to stay over?” Jeremy asked.

“That might be good,” Rich murmured, looking tired.

Jeremy went and asked his dad. He told him he’d explain later, but he got permission for Rich to stay.

He needed to have a talk with both Michael and Rich later, but for now, he was pretty tired too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm curious to see if anyone knows what Michael's deal is!! Let me know!  
> I have something figured out for him but it'd be neat to see what others think.
> 
> come yell at me on tumblr: esperinkdraws

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter will probably be the shortest one. It's just, the video bootleg ends right as the SQUIP arrives so I've gotten used to those words as a cliffhanger. 
> 
> come yell at me on tumblr: esperinkdraws


End file.
